Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign - By Phillip Jones Page 0,68

gotten awfully quiet on us.”

Sam did not respond. Instead, he reviewed everything he heard the morning before. Accessing his photographic memory, he mentally listed each point of his conversation with Bassorine.

Sam remained motionless for quite a while before Shalee walked up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay, Sam?”

Realizing he was being rude, he responded, “I’m sorry. Something is bothering me. I feel as if I’m missing something important. I can’t put my finger on it, but I know it involves Bassorine.”

Shalee caressed his back. “I’m sure you’ll think of it. It’ll come to you. Just relax. You can always ask Bassorine about it later.”

Sam turned to face Shalee. “I’m sure you’re right.” He pulled her close and, for the first moment since their arrival, he made an advance. If she was to be his mate, why not get started? “I think you’re stunning.”

Shalee was shocked by the compliment, but could not keep from smiling. The only thing she could think to do was give him a hug and a soft pat on the back. “Why, thank you, Sam.”

“You pat?” Sam admonished. “My friends pat when they hug me. I pat when I hug my buddies. I pat my grandma. Let me show you how to hug someone you’re interested in.”

With that, he grabbed her arms and pulled her close. He held her for a long series of moments that seemed short lived and enjoyed the fact she did not pull away. “Now that’s how you hug someone you find attractive,” Sam instructed, releasing her.

Shalee grinned and scanned Sam’s body from head to toe. “Well now … who said I find you attractive?” she responded in her thickest accent. She turned, grabbed her staff, and then left the room, smiling as she exited.

“Ow! That had to sting,” Mosley chided as he looked at Sam. “You might want to see if you have any fur left on your haunches. She took a bite out of them.”

As Sam stared at the door, Mosley continued. “I must admit, it was a nice effort. If I was human, I would’ve tried that myself. I saw a different side of Shalee while you slept. She cried a lot, understandably, considering what she has lost. She misses her family and a special girl cub named Chanice. She spoke of a den that she built on your world and how it suited her taste more than this establishment.

“She understands humor, something I’m thankful for, considering the fit she threw on the griffin’s platform. We laughed about many things. I think she finds the idea of marking my territory and our swine having three nostrils entertaining.”

Sam was still mulling over his rejection and failed to hear the wolf’s attempt at humor. “That backfired,” he muttered. “I could’ve sworn that would’ve worked. I must not be her type.”

“Don’t be so quick to judge, Sam.”

“Why?”

“Because my wife rejected me on nine occasions before she kept this old night terror wolf. She kept gnawing at my fur, telling me I was not clean enough. I never did understand why she liked to bathe so much. It’s not wolf-like.”

“Okay, okay. Hold on a moment. You have a wife? Since when do wolves get married? Do all animals get hitched on this world?”

“Not normally. Perhaps I should clarify. My wife died many seasons ago … 100, to be exact. When she did, I was lost. It took many seasons to stop feeling the pain her death caused my heart.

“ I met her on the bridge at Angels Crossing. She was traveling with a group while guiding them to the city of Champions. On that day, I happened to be heading in their direction with a cure for a disease spreading throughout the caves of the Bear Clan.

“Her name was Luvera, and she was, by my kind’s standards, a perfect creature. Her coat, eyes, fangs, body, and tail … oh, that tail was exceptional in any wolf’s eyes. I would give anything to have her back. I miss the warmth we created in our secret den.”

“She sounds amazing, Mosley. What else can you tell me about her?”

The wolf smiled. “Luvera lived in service to a god known as Keylom, and she was blessed because of it. We had many things in common. We spoke every language of both man and beast. On that first meeting, we talked for 4 Peaks before we had to go our separate ways. I was destined to be with her. I wanted her to